The present disclosure relates to downhole sensors for detecting fluid properties in a hydrocarbon producing well. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to downhole sensor package for in-situ measuring thermophysical properties such as viscosity and/or density of downhole formation fluids.
Hydrocarbon producing wells may contain many different formation fluids (oil, water, and gas), and multi-phase mixtures, such as mixtures of water, gaseous hydrocarbons and fluidic hydrocarbons, each having different thermophysical properties. In order to evaluate the commercial value of a hydrocarbon producing well, it is useful to obtain information by understanding and analyzing the thermophysical properties of the formation fluid of the hydrocarbon producing well.
Thermophysical properties of formation fluid(s) present in a hydrocarbon producing well are typically obtained using downhole tools, such as wireline tools and logging while drilling (LWD) tools, as well as any other tool capable of being used in a downhole environment. In wireline measurements, a downhole tool, or logging tool, can be lowered into an open wellbore via a wireline. Once lowered to the depth of interest the measurements can be taken. LWD tools take measurements in much the same way as measurement while drilling (MWD) wireline-logging tools, except that the measurements are typically taken by a self-contained tool near the bottom of the bottomhole assembly and are recorded downward, as the well is deepened, rather than upward from the bottom of the hole as wireline logs are recorded.
One of the important thermophysical properties of formation fluid is its density. The density of a formation fluid can help identify the type of fluid (gas, oil or water) present in the formation. Another important thermophysical property of formation fluid is its viscosity, which may directly affect the producibility and the economic viability of a well. Typically, density is measured by using a density sensor located on a downhole tool, such as a wireline tool or LWD tool, and fluid viscosity is typically obtained from a separate viscosity sensor. It is desirable to directly measure and determine simultaneously both density and viscosity of formation fluids with a single downhole sensor package.
While embodiments of this disclosure have been depicted and described and are defined by reference to example embodiments of the disclosure, such references do not imply a limitation on the disclosure, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The subject matter disclosed is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those skilled in the pertinent art and having the benefit of this disclosure. The depicted and described embodiments of this disclosure are examples only, and not exhaustive of the scope of the disclosure.